The Socialist Party leadership calls for the resignation of the CEC members, while the President of the Republic refuses to accept the resignation of the five members he appointed Yesterday’s Nano-Nano meeting brought the two Nanos together once again The Socialist Party leadership calls for the resignation of the CEC members, while the President of the Republic refuses to accept the resignation of the five members he appointed Medani against the Socialist Party Yesterday’s Nano-Nano meeting brought the two Nanos together once again Page 3

Before the 1 October campaign, the socialist majority engaged in extensive propaganda for the decentralization of Local Government, which, put in somewhat more popular terms, means that powers and finances should move from Central Government to Local Government. The Charter of Local Self-Government was also signed to serve this purpose. But what is happening these days? Are mayors and heads of communes truly free to administer the authority that belongs to them, or does everything remain as before, when they had to obtain Anastas Angjeli’s and Spartak Poçi’s permission even for a flower garden or two sewage channels? In other words, are they entitled to have money in their budgets and manage it themselves, or must they knock on the doors of Central Government offices? To stop asking rhetorical questions, let us put it briefly: the people who voted for them have no real power to solve their problems unless the ministries or the prime minister give them a positive answer. De facto, this takes us back to what we had before 1 October: a formal Local Government, where the mayor remains a fast courier trying to secure funds, but only if he catches the Minister of Finance on a good day. Otherwise, roads, flower gardens, employment, etc. are left to the discretion of Central Government, just as they have been for these 10 years. In conversations with several mayors of the main cities, they complain that they still do not feel like local authorities with real powers. In fact, the Municipal or Communal Council and its chairperson know the problems better, since they are closer to people’s concrete concerns than, say, a deputy minister or a minister who spends more time abroad at international meetings for the “good of the whole country.” For example, the Mayor of Tirana, where almost a quarter of Albania’s population lives, has no authority to decide on road funds; he has to knock on the door of the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Spartak Poçi, and then on the door of Anastas Angjeli’s large office. Thus, he and the Municipal Council have no right to set priorities for road repairs; only ministers do, according to their interests or the areas where they live. The Mayor of the capital, Edi Rama, is entitled to sign projects directly only if they are worth up to 200 thousand lekë (!!), the cost of a simple job at a private company. If a project exceeds that amount by even 1 thousand lekë, taking it above 200 thousand, it is deemed illegal and is not implemented! So if the Mayor has no real powers, why should people knock on the door of Local Government? They might as well come to Tirana and seek a solution to their problems from the “Central Committee” of the Ministry of Finance. Of course, the Ministry of Finance is responsible for the budget, but the fact that the Ministry of Finance is responsible for the budget does not mean it should withhold the small portion allocated to Local Government instead of handing it over for administration to those elected by the local vote. Decentralization must reach the grassroots and not remain at the podiums of the Palace of Congresses, where everyone gives speeches about Local Government: Nano and Meta, Fino and Angjeli alike, yet none of them has actually taken the first step toward implementing the Charter of Local Self-Government. The new year’s Budget Law is also against Local Self-Government. In short, everything is in the hands of Central Government.

Photo: P.LLO

It has been learned, from sources not yet officially confirmed, that the Americans based in Tirana have complained about the American flag being waved at Democratic Party rallies in “Skënderbej” Square, especially since the rallies ended violently. The American flag stands for respect for the law, not violence and burning, and so the Americans in Tirana felt insulted by its being waved at Democratic Party rallies. Asked about this, Democratic Party MP Memia said that waving the American flag is our right and we do not ask anyone—not even those who brought it. We are with Bush, and Bush is not with the communists of Tirana. A.N.